Aussie Schools To Take On Tasman Rivals
This week the 2004 Australian Schoolboys and Schoolgirls will undertake a tour of New Zealand playing a number of Internationals against New Zealand Schoolboys and Schoolgirls.
The teams will be playing New Zealand Schools for the Trans-Tasman trophies, both of which are currently held by Australia. The Australian Schoolgirls most recently retained the Deane Low Shield following a successful two-test series in Canberra in January 2004. In 2002 and 2003 the girls were also successful in series played again in Canberra, and this tour is the first on New Zealand soil since 2000.
The Australian Schoolgirls' coaching team for this tour is backing up from their successful home tours of recent years - Coach Greg Best and manager Bess Hepworth. Trainer Nic Casey debuted as an Australian official in the January 2004 series.
The Australian Schoolgirls are very proud of their record of nurturing future Matildas and Young Matildas. No fewer than six of the 2004 Australian Schoolgirls have been called into the Young Matildas' training camp occurring in West Australia at the same time as this tour. Consequently the 2004 touring team is a younger less experienced team than last year, but they lack none of the skill, commitment and desire as their predecessors.
Athens' Olympians Sally Shipard (pictured above) and Kylie Ledbrook were members of the 2003 Australian Schoolgirls and Cheryl Salisbury (captain), Sasha Wainwright (Vice Captain), Heather Garriock, Tal Karp and Lisa De Vanna who also played in Athens are all past Australian Schoolgirls.
It is particularly pleasing to see the resumption of the contest between the Australian and New Zealand Schoolboys. The last occasion that these two teams played was in the final of the 2001 International Schools Challenge played at the Australian Institute of Sport. Members of that Australian team which had victories over Northern Ireland Schools and Welsh Colleges on the way to a 2-1 win over New Zealand in the final, included Australian National league players Ricky Budin, James Monie, Dustin Wells and John Majurovski.
The Australian Schoolboys are also proud of having given the first International representative honours to the likes of Ned Zelic, Craig Moore, Tony Vidmar and more recently David Tarka, Patrick Kisnorbo, David Scarsella, Simon Colosimo and Marco Bresciano.
The officials for the Schoolboys' tour are both making their International debut, but coach John Romeo and manager Nick Guoth bring to the squad a wealth of experience of coaching and managing representative teams.
The teams were selected at the National Schools Championships held in Adelaide in August which was won by the strong NSW teams as is witnessed by the presence of many NSW players in both teams.
AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLBOYS 2004 and touring team for New Zealand: Brody Crane (NSW), Josh Mears (ACT), Nigel Boogaard (NSW), Daniel Wilkinson (NSW), Matthew Grbesa (ACT), Stephen Kayes (NSW), Chris Camilleri (NSW), Joshua Rees (NSW), Ryan Stenhouse (Queensland), Dario Vidosic (Queensland), Ben Gough (NSW), Semir Sivic (Victoria), James Stefanou (Victoria), Tony Dulevski (NSW), Gianni De Nittis (Victoria), Tarek Elrich (NSW), John Romeo (Coach), Nick Guoth (Manager), Chris Conti (Tour Leader) .
AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLGIRLS 2004: Amanda Johnston (Queensland), Erin Herd (NSW), Ayse Adalis (NSW), Renee Rollason (NSW), Tenneille Shaw (Queensland), Vanessa Mann (NSW), Servet Uzunlar (NSW), Vanessa Hart (NSW), Briony Holcombe (NSW), Melissa Feuerriegel (Queensland), Ellie Brush (ACT), Samantha Blacka (NSW), Krystina Walker (Queensland), Melissa Frankcombe (Victoria), Ciara Conway (WA), Caitlin Cooper (NSW).
AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLGIRLS 2004 touring team for New Zealand: Amanda Johnston (Queensland), Erin Herd (NSW), Andrea Totsidis (Victoria), Renee Rollason (NSW), Tenneille Shaw (Queensland), Emma Owens (Queensland), Michaela Day (ACT), Vanessa Hart (NSW), Katia Tavolaro (Victoria), Melissa Feuerriegel (Queensland), Ellie Brush (ACT), Samantha Blacka (NSW), Krystina Walker (Queensland), Melissa Frankcombe (Victoria), Carys Hawkins (WA), Kylie Nicolaci (Victoria), Greg Best (Coach), Bess Hepworth (Manager), Nic Casey (Trainer).
The touring teams will going into camp on Friday 24 September and will be leaving Sydney Airport on the morning of Saturday 25 September.
The dates of the International games are:
Australia Schoolboys v New Zealand Schoolboys Wednesday 29 September, 7pm at English Park, Christchurch Friday 1 October, 1pm at English Park, Christchurch
Australia Schoolgirls v New Zealand Schoolgirls Tuesday 28 September, 3pm at Albany Stadium, Auckland Thursday 30 September, 3pm at Albany Stadium, Auckland Saturday 2 October, 3pm at Albany Stadium, Auckland